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accommodation for 520 patients would be provided. It was also contemplated to
erect a southern Convalescent Hospital for 720 patients.
The Park Hospital, which was opened for the reception of patients late in the
year, is situate on an elevated site close to Hither Green Station on the South Eastern
Railway. The average level is between 90 and 100 feet above high water mark. The
site occupies an extent of about 20 acres, and the buildings for the reception of
patients are generally about 100 feet from the boundaries of the site. The institution,
which is probably one of the finest fever hospitals in existence, is lighted throughout
by electricity. It has accommodation for 368 patients suffering from scarlet fever,
120 patients suffering from enteric fever and diphtheria, and 36 small wards have
been provided for the isolation of 60 patients whom it may be necessary for various
reasons to keep separate from the other patients in the larger wards.
The following is a list of the hospitals of the Metropolitan Asylum's Board now
open, and in use for the reception of fever and diphtheria cases:—
Eastern Hospital 356 beds
North-Eastern Hospital 584 „
North-Western „ 440 „
Western „ 498 „
South-Western „ 368 „
Fountain „ 402 „
North-Eastern „ 438 „
Brook „ 488 „
Northern „ 680 „
The last is for convalescent patients. At the present time the Managers have at
their disposal 4,802 beds. When the Grove Hospital and the Southern Convalescent
Hospital have been erected, this accommodation will be increased to 6,022 for fever
and diphtheria cases.
For the accommodation of small-pox patients, the Managers have 300 beds in
the ships, and 1,192 beds at Gore Farm Hospital, and it is proposed to erect a
hospital at Joyce Green, near Dartford, for the accommodation of 400 patients.
It is stated in the report of the medical superintendents of the Board's hospitals
on the use of antitoxic serum in the treatment of diphtheria during the year, 1896,
that the results obtained are somewhat better than those of 1895.
The superintendents express the opinion that antitoxic serum is of much greater
value as a remedy in the treatment of diphtheria than any other with which they are
acquainted, and they emphasize the great importance of commencing the treatment
as early as possible.
In order to allow of patients suffering from diphtheria having the benefit of the
treatment with the least possible delay, in cases where it may be impossible for them